Iran

Located on axis to the west of the&nbsp;<a href="http://archnet.org/sites/2717" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maydan</a>&nbsp;within what was once the palace gardens, the Chihil Sutun is one of the two remaining pavilions built as part&nbsp;of the palace complex or dawlat-khana. The second is the&nbsp;<a href="http://archnet.org/sites/136" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hasht Behesht</a>. Originally constructed in 1647,&nbsp;the pavilion was largely rebuilt in 1706, at which time its most prominent architectural feature, a talar porch with 20 wooden columns, was added. The palace consists of a rectangular masonry building with a large wooden talar porch attached to its east side. The masonry building's plan is symmetrical and centered on a large rectangular audience hall divided into three domed bays separated by arched vaults. This central hall is entered on its long sides (the east and west) through recessed iwans, while its short sides give onto verandas (north and south). Four smaller corner rooms flank the east and west iwans and are accessible through them. While this audience hall can be entered from all four sides, its main entrance is through the east iwan, which communicates with the talar porch through an elaborately mirrored niche.&nbsp; The primary form of architectural decoration in the palace are wall paintings. In addition to the painted vegetal and geometric ornaments that decorate arches, ceilings and other framing elements, large figural scenes fill panels in both the interior spaces and the two verandas on the north and south sides of the masonry building. In the central hall, figural scenes occupy the large arched spaces beneath each bay on the east and west walls, giving six main scenes. A battle scene between Safavid Shah Isma'il I and the Uzbeks occupies the space under the southernmost bay of the east wall. Directly across from this, the west elevation of the southern bay is adorned with a reception scene where Safavid Shah Tahmasp welcomes Mughal Emperor Humayun. Moving to the central bay, battle scenes again adorn the east and west walls: a battle between Nadir Shah and the Mughals is featured on the western wall and a battle between Shah Ismai'l I and the Ottomans is featured on the east. On the walls of the north bay, reception scenes fill the spaces: on the west wall, Shah Abbas I receives the Uzbek ruler Vali Muhammad Khan and on the east, Shah Abbas II receives another ruler, either Indian or Uzbek, whose identity is debated. Smaller figural compositions featuring feasting and hunting scenes enliven the dado zones of the walls below. In the smaller and more private corner rooms, the wall paintings depict both feasting and literary themes. In the southeast corner room, the images are taken from literary classics, including an image of a bride preparing to immolate herself. In the northeast corner room, paintings depict Shah Abbas I hosting a garden party. The north and south verandas include panel paintings featuring various personas, including men and women in European dress. Unlike the scenes that adorn the interior walls, these paintings suggest type studies rather than depictions of specific literary characters or historical persons. The style of the veranda paintings also differs from that of the interior paintings. While the paintings on the interior are rendered in a style associated with the miniature painting traditions of Iran and India, the veranda paintings are executed in a "Europeanizing" style defined by the use of shading and perspective as painterly techniques. Along with the&nbsp;<a href="http://archnet.org/sites/2712" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ali Qapu</a>&nbsp;and Hasht Behesht, the Chihil Sutun was restored by IsMEO - Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente for NOCHMI - National Organization for Conservation of Historic Monuments of Iran. The project, completed in 1977, received an Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980. Sources: Babaie, Sussan. "Shah 'Abbas II, The Conquest of Qandahar, The Chihil Sutun, and its Wall Paintings." Muqarnas&nbsp;11 (1994): 125-142. Blair, Sheila S. and Jonathan M. Bloom. 1994. The Art and Architecture of Islam. New Haven: Yale University Press, 192-193. Hillenbrand, Robert. 1994. Islamic Architecture: Form, Function and Meaning. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 428-433. Michell, George. 1978. Architecture of the Islamic World. London: Thames and Hudson, 73, 254. Additional information:<a href="http://iranshahrpedia.ir/view/13711" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://iranshahrpedia.ir/view/13711</a> Record updates: <ul><li>September 4, 2018 (AKDC staff): added images.</li></ul>

Chihil Sutun

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/bba30de5-e25d-4056-a507-7270380793d0/content

digital photograph

Isfahan Chihil Sutun. Talar. View from SE.

Archnet is a community-powered resource that provides ready access to visual and textual material to facilitate teaching, scholarship, and professional work of high quality.&nbsp;This unparalleled resource continues to grow with both the addition of historic archives and documentation on contemporary trends shaping the built environment today.&nbsp;To better serve you, our user, in the study of art and architecture of Muslim societies, we continue to build our vast collection of sites, publications, images, and videos. To ensure a high level of scholarly content and accuracy in the information provided, we appreciate your expert feedback and, more importantly, your contributions..&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Please send comments, corrections, commendations, and other feedback to <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>If you find sites on Archnet to which you can contribute in compelling and meaningful ways, your generosity is most welcome. If you would be interested in contributing research, publications or other media to Archnet, please contact us using <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>We invite contributions of relevant, previously published, Open Access or copyrighted material for which you are able to grant Archnet a non-exclusive license. Please contact us using <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>We invite the contribution of syllabi, lesson plans, recorded lectures, or other material for our pedagogy project. Please contact us using <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>We welcome the donation of select archives based on our current editorial policies and priorities.&nbsp;If you have a collection you would like to bring to the attention of Archnet's editors, please send an email to: <a href="http://mailto: archnet-submission@mit.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.</li><li>Occasionally, Archnet editors issue calls for contributions on specific themes or of particular types of material. Follow those on the <a href="https://libraries.mit.edu/akdc/category/contributors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">website of AKDC@MIT </a>or <a href="https://mailchi.mp/17fc345bbd94/archnetakdc-updates" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to our mailing list</a>.</li></ul> The breadth, depth, and quality of Archnet is oachieved through the generosity of numerous institutions and individuals listed on the respective pages throughout the site.&nbsp;We thank you for your generosity!

Contribute

Archnet is an Open Access resource, provided to the public to facilitate cultural understanding and excellence in both scholarship and practice. Content from Archnet.org may not be published, displayed, or appropriated for commercial use without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder. Unless otherwise noted, Archnet material is available for instructional, nonprofit use, and personal use on the terms of a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International</a> (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. Please contact Archnet to request permission to use the Archnet.org website and its contents beyond the scope outlined above. High-resolution images may be available by contacting us using <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>. The content available on Archnet, including but not limited to information, text, graphics, logos, and multimedia related to the the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/1903" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Trust for Culture’</a>s programmes, such as the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/54" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Historic Cities Programme</a>, the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/848" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Award for Architecture</a> and the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/132" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Music Programme</a>, may be protected by copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights and laws, whether owned by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, its affiliates, or third parties. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or display of this content is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the respective copyright or trademark holder. Violation of this prohibition may result in legal penalties.

Terms of use

<h2>ARCHNET FAQ</h2>1. Will ARCHNET work on my device?Archnet works well on the most recent version of any major browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), either on a mobile device or computer. It may work on older or less common browsers as well. If Archnet fails to work properly on your machine, please let us know about your experience by clicking the blue feedback button at bottom right!2. Will my URLs from earlier versions of Archnet still work?Yes, if they are from the version launched in January 2013. As of October 12, 2021, all URLs from the old Archnet have been redirected to ARCHNET.&nbsp;&nbsp;3. How do I download a/n:&nbsp;<ul><li>image - Select the image you want to download from search results, a site or an authority. The image will open in your browser.&nbsp;Right click to download.&nbsp;For larger, high-resolution copies, see contact us using archnet@mit.edu.&nbsp;</li><li>publication - Open the page for the publication in your browser and click the download button. Reprinting Archnet publications is permissible only for personal use.&nbsp;Please contact us for any other requests.&nbsp;</li><li>site descriptions and metadata - Site descriptions and metadata can be used for any nonprofit or educational organization with appropriate attribution to the authors and Archnet.&nbsp;</li><li>video - Currently video downloads are not possible. If you'd like to use an Archnet video, please contact <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>See our <a href="https://www.archnet.org/pages/terms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Terms of Use</a> for information on how you can use Archnnet material.4. Can I contribute material to Archnet?&nbsp;Yes!&nbsp;See our <a href="https://www.archnet.org/pages/contribute" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Contribute</a> page for more information.&nbsp;Calls for specific contributions are also also shared in our social media and on the <a href="https://libraries.mit.edu/akdc/category/contributors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">web site of the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;5. What happened to the Archnet Timeline?&nbsp;Timeline has migrated into the ARCHNET NEXT Collections page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/collection_type/3/1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">as a category</a>. These collections provide short introductions for each period, often offering lists of additional resources at the end of the entry. Only the timeline graphic listing the periods along a chronological axis has not migrated.6. My question isn't here.&nbsp;How can I get help?&nbsp;If your issue is with using Archnet, use the blue Feedback button to alert us to your issue. This will allow you to include a screenshot or recording. Please, also, feel free to contact us at <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>We are currently developing the help section of ARCHNET NEXT. In the meantime, please use the blue Feedback button in ARCHNET NEXT to send us feedback or other questions. Contact us at <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;

Need help?

Welcome to ARCHNET, an open access, interdisciplinary, intellectual resource focused on the built environment of Muslim societies.Focused on the built environment of Islamic civilizations past and present, we seek to:<ul><li>Facilitate excellence in scholarship and professional work by&nbsp;providing reliable information and ready access&nbsp;to vetted, high-quality textual and multimedia resources&nbsp;focused on architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design,&nbsp;heritage&nbsp;conservation, economic and environmental sustainability, community development and resilience in the face of rapid change, and related topics.</li><li>Enable teaching and learning in these domains by providing educators with reliable, effective pedagogical material and teaching aids.&nbsp;</li><li>Serve as a platform through which scholars, practitioners, and institutions can bring their work to new global audiences.&nbsp;</li><li>Promote intercultural understanding and dialogue through reliable, high-quality, peer-reviewed material on the diversity of and pluralism within Muslim societies and the interaction between Islamic and other religious, cultural, and philosophical traditions as it relates to architecture and urbanism.</li><li>Enable easy access to a wide variety of resources via a custom-built, web-based, mobile-friendly platform optimized to minimize financial, infrastructural, linguistic, and other barriers to access.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Launched in 2002 after several years of development, ARCHNET is a pioneering digital resource that has proven a reliable authority on the built environment of Muslim societies, past and present.&nbsp;ARCHNET is a partnership between the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/1342" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries</a> (AKDC@MIT) and the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/1903" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Trust for Culture</a> (AKTC), with support from the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/50" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture</a> at Harvard and MIT.&nbsp;ARCHNET is developed and maintained by <a href="https://www.performantsoftware.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Performant Software Solutions</a>.

Shah Soltan Hosein
Iran

Associated Sites

Shah Soltan Hosein

Associated Sites